Sign washer



July 28, 1964 T. J. MCMULLEN SIGN WASHER 2 Sheets-Shes?l 1 Filed Dec.I5, 1962 .a N 5 .,/v 7 EAM\Y 4 .5| .TH u z mnw IJ Q/ U Yo 6. am., NL 7mmw F w, Aw M 0 w m@ l/lY July 28, 1964 T. J. MCMULLEN SIGN WASHER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 3, 1962 /I 30 l /1 @Y INVENTOR. 77-/0/4/45 LZMCMULLEN BY Qi NEY United States Patent O 3,142,084 SIGN WASHER ThomasI. McMullen, 810 Cromwell Ave., St. Paul 14, Minn. Filed Dec. 3, 1962,Ser. No. 241,599 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-524) My invention relates generallyto cleaning devices of the fountain variety, and more particularly todevices for washing or scrubbing and rinsing various articles.

More specifically, my invention relates to improvements in devices ofthe above type primarily adapted for use in cleaning of highway or roadsigns, such as traic warning and control signs, and the like.

It is well known that highway or road signs, being placed closelyadjacent the shoulder of a road or highway, are subject to dust, rainand the like, and require washing at frequent intervals in order thatthey may be maintained in a clean condition, whereby to be clearlyvisible and easily read by an approaching driver from an appreciabledistance. In view of the great numbers of such signs on most welltraveled roads, periodic washing or otherwise cleaning of these signs isa time-consuming operation. Hence, an important object of my inventionis the provision of a washing device by means of which a sign may bethoroughly scrubbed and cleaned in a minimum of time.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a washing device ofthe fountain type which uses a minimum of detergent liquid and rinsingliquid to achieve adequate cleaning results.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a sign cleaningdevice which is used to dispense both liquid detergent and rinsingliquid and which is comfortable to hold and easy to manipulate. To thisend, I provide an elongated tubular handle which defines a passage for aliquid medium to a scrubbing head, and a conduit within the tubularhandle which defines a passage for a different liquid to the scrubbinghead.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a cleaningdevice as set forth which is simple and inexpensive to produce, which ishighly efficient in operation, and which is rugged in construction anddurable in use.

The above, and still further highly important objects and advantages ofmy invention will become apparent from the following detailedspecifications, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in whichlike reference characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews:

FIG. 1 is a view in diagram of sign washing apparatus incorporating thewasher of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in side elevation of the signwasher of my invention, some parts being broken away and some partsbeing shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a View in elevation of the washing head portion of my signwasher, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown insection;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in bottom plan of the washing head portionof the invention, some parts being removed;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theline 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theline 6-6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the irregularline 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring with greater detail to the drawings, and more particularly toFIG. 1, my improved sign washer, indicated in its entirety by thereference numeral 1, is

3,142,084 Patented July 28, 1964 shown as being connected to a pair ofliuid pumps 2 and 3 by means of tubesor conduits 4 and 5 respectively.The pumps 2 and 3 are driven from an engine 6 through suitabletransmission mechanism not shown but contained within a housing 7, themechanism being driven by the drive shaft 8 of the engine 6 andconnected to the pumps 2 and 3 by drive shafts 9 and 1t) respectively.The pumps 2 and 2 receive liquid from respective supply tanks 11 and 12through conduit connections 13 and 14 respectively. The engine 6,transmission mechanism, pumps 2 and 3, and supply tanks 11 and 12 may beassumed to be carried by a truck or similar vehicle, not shown, so thatthe same may be easily transported from one place to another on the roador highway. A sign to be Washed or cleaned is illustrated in FIG. 1 bydotted lines and indicated by the reference character X.

The washer 1 comprises a generally rectangular washer head 15, anelongated tubular handle 16 extending generally transversely from theintermediate portion of the head 15, a manifold 17 connected to theouter or free end of the handle 16, and a pair of valves 1S and 19 bymeans of which respective ones of the conduits 4 and 5 are `connected tothe manifold 17. The valves 18 and 19 are conventional in nature, andare normally closed, each thereof being provided with an operatinghandle or lever 20 by means of which said valves are selectively opened.

The valves 18 and 19 are screw threaded into threaded openings 21 and 22respectively in the manifold 17, the openings 21 and 22 communicatingwith respective passages 23 and 24 that extend longitudinally of themanifold 17 and which terminate in axially aligned passage portions 25and 26 respectively that extend in a direction transversely of themanifold 17. As shown in FIG. 5, the passage portion 25 opens into thepassage portion 26, and is screw threaded to receive the threaded outerend of the tubular member 27. The outer or free end of the tubularhandle 16 is received in the passage portion 26 and soldered orotherwise sealed therein, whereby to dispose the handle 16 and tubularmember 27 in concentric relationship.

The Washer head 15 defines a generally rectangular recess 28 in which isseated a mounting plate 29 that is provided with scrubbing media in thenature of groups of bristles or the like 30. The mounting plate isdetachably locked in place by fastening means such as screws 31, thegroups of bristles 30 covering most of the area defined by the mountingplate 29 except for a limited generally rectangular area 32 at thecentral portion of the mounting plate 29, see particularly FIG. 4.Opposite the mounting plate 29, the washer head 15 is formed to providean outwardly projecting boss 33 which denes inner and outer passages 34and 35 respectively. The inner passage is formed to provide an angularlydisposed screw threaded passage portion 36 in which is screw threadedthe adjacent inner end of the inner tubular member 27, see FIGS. 6 and7. The opposite end of the inner passage 34 is substantially axiallyaligned with an opening 37 that extends through the mounting plate 29within the open area 32 between the bristles 30. As shown in FIGS. 6 and7, the outer passage 35 is bifurcated for a portion of its length abouta central boss portion 38 through which the passage 34 extends, theouter passage 35 terminating at one end in an angularly displacedpassage portion 39 in which is screw threadedly received the adjacentinner end ofthe tubular handle 16. The outer passage 35 terminates in anangularly displaced passage portion 40 that extends in a directionparallel to the inner passage 34, and is disposed laterally outwardlywith respect to the mounting plate 29 and bristles 30 carried thereby.The extreme outer end of the passage 40 is defined by a conventionalnozzle 41 that is screw threaded into the boss portion 33 of the washerhead 15, whereby toy produce a relatively line stream of fluid when thesame is pumped therethrough. It will be noted that the passage portions36 and 39 are axially aligned, so that the inner ends of the tubularhandle 16 and inner tubular member 27 are concentric, the tubular member27 defining a central passage 42 that establishes communication betweenthe passage 23 in the manifold 17, the tubular member 27 and handle 16cooperating to dene an annular passage 43 that establishes communicationbetween the passage 24 in the manifold 17 and the outer passage 35 inthe washer head 15.

In use, and assuming that the tank 11 contains a supply of liquiddetergent and the tank 12 a supply of other liquid, such as water, andwith the engine 6 operating to drive the pumps Z and 3, the operatormomentarily opens the valve 18 to cause a liquid detergent to bedelivered through the opening 37 in the bristle mounting plate 29, andrubs the bristles 30 over the sign X to scrub the same and loosen thedirt therefrom. Thereafter, the operator opens the valve 19 to causerinsing water under pressure to be delivered through the nozzle d1, withthe bristles 30 held away from the sign X to rinse the loosened dirt anddetergent from the sign, leaving the same in a clean condition.Preferably, the tubular handle 16 and inner tubular member 27 containedtherein are of such length that the operator can reach the sign X withthe washer head 15 without dismounting from the truck or vehicle onwhich the apparatus is carried. By disposing the tubular member 27within the tubular handle 16, the operator may easily hold the handlemember 16 in one hand while manipulating the valves 1S and 19 with theother, whereby to substantially reduce the element of fatigue during agiven working period. Further, by disposing the rinsing nozzle 41 inlaterally spaced relation to the scrubbing bristles Sil, rinsing wateris supplied immediately to the article to be washed upon opening of thevalve 19; and by using a nozzle 41 to deliver the rinsing water in arelatively line stream at high pressure, the loosened dirt and detergentis effectively removed from the article, such as the sign X, with aminimum of rinsing water and in a minimum of time. By providing a cleararea around the opening 37 in the mounting plate Z9, detergent liquid isdelivered directly to the article to be cleaned, the bristles 35) beingused only to spread the detergent on the article after the same has beendelivered tothe article and to scrub the article.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; andWhile I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my signwasher, it will be understood that the same is capable of modificationwithout departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as definedin the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign washer comprising,

(a) a washer head and a scrubbing brush secured to said washer head,said brush comprising a mounting plate and a plurality of bristlesextending outwardly therefrom,

(b) an elongated rigid tubular handle extending out- Wardly from saidhead,

(c) a conduit extending from said head Within said rigid handle andsubstantially co-extensive in length with said handle,

(d) a manifold secured to the outer end of said handle and connected tothe adjacent end of said conduit,

(e) a pair of valves associated With said manifold and operativelycommunicating with respective ones of said tubular handle and conduit,

(f) said valves adapted to be connected respectively to sources ofliquid detergent and rinsing liquid under pressure,

(g) said head dening spaced independent passages communicating withrespective ones of said tubular handle and said conduit,

(h) one of said passages opening through said head laterally outwardlyof said brush,

(i) said mounting plate having a discharge opening therethrough betweensome of said bristles and communicating with the other of said passages.

' 2. A sign washer comprising,

(a) a Washer head,

(b) a scrubbing device including mounting means secured to said head andscrubbing media 0n said mounting means,

(c) concentric inner and outer tubular members secured at their innerends to said washer head, saidY outer member being rigid and providing ahandle, said inner member dening a central passage and said inner andouter members cooperating to deline an annular passage,

(d) a manifold secured to the outer ends of said tubular members,

(e) a pair of valves associated with said manifold and operativelycommunicating with respective ones of said central and annular passages,

(f) said Valves being adapted to be connected respectively to sources ofliquid detergent and rinsing liquid under pressure,

(g) said head defining independent inner and outer passagescommunicating respectively with said central and annular passages,

(h) said outer passage opening through said head laterally outwardly ofsaid scrubbing media,

(i) said mounting means defining an opening establishing communicationbetween said inner passage and said scrubbing media, the arrangementbeing such that liquid detergent is delivered to the scrubbing mediathrough said inner passage and rinsing liquid delivered laterallyoutwardly of said scrubbing media through said annular passage,responsive to opening of their respective valves.

3. The structure deiined in claim 2, in which said mounting meanscomprises a plate-like member, said scrubbing media comprising aplurality of bristles extending outwardly from said plate-like member.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in further cornbination with anozzle secured to said head and directing rinsing liquid from said outerpassage in a direction generally parallel to said bristles.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,508,958 Manville May 23, 1950 2,584,630 Soss Feb. 5, 1952 2,686,694Freeman Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 376,639 Great Britain July 14,1932 1,085,994 France Aug. 4, 1954

1. A SIGN WASHER COMPRISING, (A) A WASHER HEAD AND A SCRUBBING BRUSHSECURED TO SAID WASHER HEAD, SAID BRUSH COMPRISING A MOUNTING PLATE ANDA PLURALITY OF BRISTLES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, (B) AN ELONGATEDRIGID TUBULAR HANDLE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID HEAD, (C) A CONDUITEXTENDING FROM SAID HEAD WITHIN SAID RIGID HANDLE AND SUBSTANTIALLYCO-EXTENSIVE IN LENGTH WITH SAID HANDLE, (D) A MANIFOLD SECURED TO THEOUTER END OF SAID HANDLE AND CONNECTED TO THE ADJACENT END OF SAIDCONDUIT, (E) A PAIR OF VALVES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MANIFOLD ANDOPERATIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID TUBULAR HANDLEAND CONDUIT, (F) SAID VALVES ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TOSOURCES OF LIQUID DETERGENT AND RINSING LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE, (G) SAIDHEAD DEFINING SPACED INDEPENDENT PASSAGES COMMUNICATING WITH RESPECTIVEONES OF SAID TUBULAR HANDLE AND SAID CONDUIT, (H) ONE OF SAID PASSAGESOPENING THROUGH SAID HEAD LATERALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID BRUSH, (I) SAIDMOUNTING PLATE HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING THERETHROUGH BETWEEN SOME OFSAID BRISTLES AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE OTHER OF SAID PASSAGES.